John Lennon at Tittenhurst Park, London Road, Sunningdale, Ascot,
Berkshire

Tittenhurst Park

This Tittenhurst Park blog is dedicated to John Lennon's home in Sunningdale, near Ascot, Berkshire between 1969 and 1971. The aim is to gather as much material relating to the estate as possible - obviously with the emphasis on the Lennon-era, but also concerning Tittenhurst Park as it was before and after John Lennon's ownership. In addition, there will be posts about and associated with the Beatles, plus any other rubbish I feel like. The blog is purely meant for the entertainment of anyone (assuming there is actually anyone) who, like me, has an unhealthy interest in one particular Georgian mansion. Those with anything interesting to contribute in the way of links, photos, scans, stories etc. please do contact me: tittenhurstlennon@gmail.com(Legal: this blog is strictly non-commercial. All material is the property of the photographer/artist/copyright holder concerned. Any such who wishes a picture etc to be removed should contact me and I will do so. Alternatively, if someone is happy to see their photo on here, but would like a credit/link then let me know and I'll be happy to provide one). Enjoy!

Thursday

An undocumented recording of a little-known interview between popular British D.J. John Peel and John and Yoko, recorded in England on 29th March 1970; the interview largely between Peel and Lennon, took place over the telephone with John Peel asking questions from a Pop festival, attended by a crowd of several thousand at Victoria Park, Bethnal Green, East London organised on behalf of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament [CND]; the main topic throughout the interview is John and Yoko's Peace campaign with Lennon offering advice and support to fellow 'Peaceniks', Lennon makes a number of suggestions and revelations including:- An announcement that he's calling from an unidentified hospital and that Yoko appears to be pregnant ..."We're going to have a baby for Peace";- In answer to Peel's questions as to how ordinary people can work for peace, Lennon promotes the use of the weapon of advertising. He suggests starting on a personal level, by placing a note in the window advertising peace and taking it further to amongst other things the use of "chicks" in tabloid papers such as The Sun and The Mirror "Miss Teenage Peace - 38.38.38.";- In answer to Peel's interpretation of Lennon's advertising suggestion that people should "Abuse the media in the way it's been abusing you.." [ John and Yoko], Lennon responds that people should not be afraid to infiltrate the media: "Don't be ashamed to take your trousers down for Peace";- Lennon looks at the world stage and condemns the use of violence and the economics of war and urges everyone to put pressure on their governments to bring about change by perseverance and the power of the vote;- John and Yoko end the interview with a rendition of the chorus of Give Peace A Chance accompanied by Lennon on guitar - approximate running time: 15 mins; - 1/2" BASF reel-to-reel tape accompanied by c.d. and cassette copies of the recording.

In this little known interview between two British cultural legends, Lennon's vivid responses to Peel's intuitive questions give a clear insight into John and Yoko's passionate beliefs and the reasoning behind some of the more flamboyant actions they took in their remarkable Peace campaign. Unlike Yoko's well documented miscarriage in November 1968 and another rather less publicised in October 1969, this unsuccessful pregnancy, announced by Lennon to Peel, is not generally known about.

A pack of items as given out to the audience at a showing of Lennon and Ono' art films at the New Cinema Club, Institute of Contemporary Arts, 10th September, 1969. The film's included Ono's "Bottoms" and Lennon's "Self-portrait" which detailed the rise (and fall) of his penis. The pack includes the wooden spoon and baking tray (noise makers), each of which has been signed by John and Yoko; Lennon has signed the tray as 'Jack Lennon', which he did rarely; autographs on the printed label are a little obscured. The signatures on the spoon are in black marker, Yoko's autograph has faded slightly, but both are clear and legible. The pack also includes the 'Love and Peace' flyer, the Ono 'Danger Box' / Lennon 'Build Around it' perspex case, the Lennon 'fold it nine times' paper sheet (creased where folded), the New Cinema Club booklet, 'Love and Peace = Bagism' postcard, the John Lennon Diary, a small Lennon chapbook 'You are Here', two promo photographs, the 'rape' flyer, 8-page promo booklet, and a single sheet giving the programme schedule. 14 items in total, individually most are scarce, as a complete collection this package is very rare; indeed it is the first such set we have encountered. Lennon was a visual artist before he picked up his first guitar, penned his first song or entered into partnership with the artist Yoko Ono.

Yoko Ono -Grapefruit 1971. Signed in black felt pen John Lennon and in blue felt pen Yoko Ono; John & Yoko at the book signing on the 15th July 1971 in Selfridge's Department Store, London. 3½x3½in. (9x9cm.)

A hand drawn placard inscribed by John Lennon in French in large black letters with the slogan L'Amour Et La Paix [Love and Peace] and signed by both John and Yoko, Montreal, 1969, the placard drafted by Lennon in black felt pen in Suite 1742 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, Canada, during John and Yoko's historic Bed-In for Peace, 26 May - 2 June, 1969, additionally signed and inscribed Montreal, John Lennon, 1969 and Yoko Ono, Montreal, 69; the placard inscribed by Lennon on a piece of white card in large format for display purposes in the Lennon's hotel suite where it was attached to the wall and clearly visible to the world's press during the week's media frenzy, the card -- 22½x28½in. (56.5x50cm.); accompanied by a large black and white machine-print portrait photograph by Ivor Sharp of John and Yoko posing with flowers at the Bed-In with this L'Amour Et La Paix placard clearly visible on the wall behind them -- 34x24in. (86.5x61cm.); and a preliminary printed proof of an image from the Bag One series inscribed on the reverse in pencil in an unidentified hand John placing ring on Yoko's finger -- 20x26in. (50.7x66cm.)

A rare set of John Lennon's early photocopied and annotated lyricsheets for his groundbreaking album Imagine, 1971 the early copies of typed drafts showing variations to the released tracks and a few of Lennon's handwritten annotations, were given to journalist Ray Connolly when he visited John and Yoko at Tittenhurst Park in July, 1971; the ten lyric sheets, each a photocopy of a typed page comprise:- Imagine, twenty-three lines in four verses originally typed on Hassina's, 26 Christina Gardens, Arima, Trinidad... headed stationery, dated MARCH '71, LONDON, MADRID TRINIDAD, these incomplete lyrics lacking the first appearance of the four line chorus beginning You May Say I'm A Dreamer between the second and third verses of the released track;- Crippled Inside, twenty-one lines in four verses originally typed on blank paper, significantly on this page, the original typed song title One Thing You Can't Hide, has been crossed out by Lennon in black ballpoint pen and the new title CRIPPLED INSIDE inscribed in his hand; also in this version the third and fourth verses are in reverse order to those on the released track, and there are a couple of minor word variations, one in the 2nd verse and one in the 4th; - Jealous Guy, nineteen lines in three verses and a chorus originally typed on blank paper; these lyrics annotated by Lennon in black ballpoint pen with the numbers 1 and 2 beside their respective verses; and the words Solo and repeat by the second and third chorus demarcations; this version also shows one minor word variation to the released track in the 3rd verse;- It's So Hard, twenty lines in four verses originally typed on blank paper, these lyrics, annotated in Lennon's hand in black ballpoint pen with various revisions to the text as he thought about the song's wording; the original typed song title Sometimes I Feel Like Going Down, deleted by Lennon and annotated with a handwritten replacement It's so hard..; the first verse showing a number of variations and amendments: the fifth line with Lennon's handwritten amendment, replacing the word So of the repeated refrain But It's So Hard with the word really; also a variation to the released version is found in the third line which in this instance is: You got to give and in the released version is: You got to be somebody; John's additional handwritten amendments to the typed text are found in the second verse where the last word of the third line You Got To Think is deleted by Lennon and replaced with FEEL SOMETHING, and the word SO in the repeated refrain in the fifth line It's SO Hard is overwritten and replaced with really; an amendment Lennon duplicates in the penultimate line of the last verse;- I Don't Want To Be a Soldier Mamma, I Don't Want To Die, thirteen lines in three verses originally typed on blank paper, this version with Lennon's handwritten addition Oh no etc, after each verse; another Lennon notation is found in the third line of the third verse where the last word of the refrain I don't wanna lie, is crossed out and changed to Cry;- Give Me Some Truth, twenty-three lines in five verses with four repetitions of the chorus originally typed on blank paper, one variation is found in the fourth line of the third verse With just a pocketful of hope - money for rope, the word 'rope' is changed to dope in the released version;- Oh My Love, seventeen lines in four verses originally typed on blank paper, one variation is found in the last word of the second line of the second verse Everything is clear in my head 'head' is changed to heart in the released version;- How Do You Sleep?, nineteen lines in three verses originally typed on blank paper, this version showing two minor variations, one in the third line of the second verse where it is: The only things [plural] whereas 'thing' is singular in the released version; and the fourth line of the third verse reads You must have learnt something is all these years - 'is' is replaced by 'in' in the final version;- How, twenty-three lines in three verses and one chorus originally typed on blank paper, this version amended in Lennon's hand, each verse numbered by him, verse one additionally numbered 4 and inscribed with his instruction repeat with 'we' instead of 'i'; here the refrain Oh no, Oh no found at the end of the first verse is not repeated at the end of the second and third verses whereas it is in the released version;- Oh Yoko nineteen lines in six verses, the lines originally partially typed and partially transcribed in a secretary's hand on blank paper, this version showing numerous variations to the released lyrics: the first verse of the released song In the middle of the night is shown as the fourth verse here and this version begins: In the middle of a bath [i.e. with the second verse of the final version]; the fourth verse here In the middle of the sea In the middle of the sea I call your name O'Yoko does not feature in the released song; in the fifth verse here: In the middle of a wind.. the word wind is crossed out both times and replaced by an amendment in Lennon's hand cloud; in this version the sixth and final verse is written as: In the middle of a dream. however Lennon has marked the fifth and sixth verses with arrows indicating that their order should be transposed, as they did in fact become in the released song; - also an additional lyric sheet for the closing song on Lennon's first solo album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band called: My Mummys Dead nine lines in one verse, the lines originally typed on blank paper, one variation here is seen in line five It's hard to explain which was changed to I can't explain in the released version average size per page -- 8x11½in. (20.4x29.3cm.).

These come from the collection of Ray Connolly, who is an author, scriptwriter and journalist, and has always had strong personal and professional links with the Beatles. During the 1960s, his role as one of the country's leading writers about pop and entertainment often brought him into contact with the group. He met and interviewed them, together and separately, on many occasions, and was invited by Paul McCartney to attend several Beatles recording sessions at Abbey Road.He became particularly close to John Lennon in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Indeed, when John decided to quit the Beatles in 1969, Ray was one of a handful of people whom he told in strict confidence. During this period John also asked Ray to act as a messenger to Paul McCartney, carrying a letter that he didn't want their respective lawyers to see. Ray met John again during the Imagine sessions in 1971, which was when Lennon gave him a set of typed and handwritten lyrics for the songs on the album.Ray was scheduled to fly to New York to interview John and Yoko on the morning of December 9, 1980; but at 4.30am he received a phone-call from a friend, informing him that John had been shot. He subsequently wrote one of the first biographies of his friend, John Lennon 1940-1980. Since then, he has continued to write regularly about John and the Beatles for a variety of newspapers. In addition, he used the traumatic experiences of December 1980 as the basis of a radio play, Unimaginable, which was broadcast by the BBC in 2005.Another major Beatles connection in Ray's career resulted when he was asked to write the script for the movie That'll Be The Day, starring David Essex. To obtain background material for the script, he spoke to Ringo Starr about his experiences working at Butlin's before he joined the Beatles. Ringo's memories were so rich that Ray and director David Puttnam decided that Ringo should be given a leading role in the film. Ray also wrote the script for the sequel to that film, the equally popular Stardust.Ray's long and eclectic career has also involved writing the scripts for two successful TV series, Lytton's Diary and Perfect Scoundrels (both starring Peter Bowles); a series of novels, the most recent of which, Love Out Of Season, was published in 2008; other scripts for radio, TV and film, including a collaboration with Beatles producer Sir George Martin (The Rhythm Of Life) and a memorable documentary about James Dean; and more than four decades of journalism for leading newspapers and magazines, on a wide variety of subjects.

John Lennon recorded his most popular solo album Imagine in February and May 1971 between Abbey Road and in his home studio in Tittenhurst Park near Ascot, and further days overdubbing with Phil Spector at the Record Plant in New York in July, the album was later released in October of that year. This, Lennon's second solo work, is commonly regarded to be his best. Following on from the uncompromising political crusade in his first solo work John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band it has been noted that many of the songs on Imagine were simply gentler renditions of the same key themes. Lennon himself described Imagine as 'Plastic Ono Band' with sugar coating... both the song itself and the album, is the same thing as 'Working Class Hero' , 'Mother' and 'God' on the first disc...But the first record was too real for people, so nobody bought it. Lennon's critics may have accused him of compromise or even sell out but he stood by the message in the first album, and as Peter Doggett suggests he made a conscious attempt to sweeten the bitter pill with melody and harmony..It is fascinating to glimpse some of the thought processes Lennnon had when refining these songs in this rare set of lyrics sheets for the complete album. The annotations and additions in his own hand and the variations in the typed text and verse order bear witness to Lennon's creative process in the genesis of these songs.In his accompanying letter, Ray Connolly vividly recalls the occasion when Lennon gave him these lyric sheets on one of his numerous visits to Tittenhurst Park: During one visit in July 1971 he played me a test pressing of his new album 'Imagine', which he'd just finished recording in the newly built studios there. As I was listening to it in John and Yoko's bedroom (where meetings often took place) on a Dansette type of player because we couldn't get the new fangled hi-fi system he'd had installed to work, I asked if I could read the lyrics. Whereupon he went downstairs to one of his two secretaries and asked that copies of the lyrics be made for me on the Xerox machine he had. No sooner had I got the copies than John began to take them off me and scribble on them, showing me where he'd made changes to the songs while he'd been recording..... Connolly remembers that the first track Lennon played him from the album was Give Me Some Truth, intended, said Lennon, to be the next single. Connolly states: I didn't think much of it... and asked what was on the other side. Whereupon he played me the song 'Imagine'. "Shouldn't that be the A-side?" I said. He turned to Yoko who was sitting on the bed. "Yoko, Ray thinks 'Imagine' should be the A side".. Connolly believes that this was a deliberate test to find out if I was a "yes man", or he [Lennon] wanted a genuine response from someone about the relative strengths of both songs. Whether this was a test or not, the outcome of the track order would suggest that Lennon got the answer he was hoping for from someone whose opinion he respected.

This test pressing had been one of John Lennon's own copies, he gave it to Ray Connolly when he visited John at his home, Tittenhurst Park in July 1971, soon after the album was recorded. Connolly recalls that after playing tracks from this test pressing to him, Lennon gave him the record as he was leaving: "Won't you need it?" I asked. "No" he replied. "I've had the gaps between the songs changed slightly. I've got another one now". So [Connolly] took the white label test pressing home and played it all that summer, until the official version was released in the UK in the autumn...

John Lennon Austin Princess was sold at Julien's Auction in Autumn 2005

The Austin Princess was sold for $200,000. The auction took place on October 29 2005 at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

A black 1956 Austin Princess Limousine Hearse owned and used by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in "Imagine" (Joko, 1973) sold at auction with Julien's in 2005. The interior featured a black leather front bench seat; four custom airline seats (two rows of two, later mounted in back); steering wheel having coat-of-arms logo at center; odometer reading: 41158; finished burl wood dash board; silver plaque reading: "Arthur Mulliner Ltd./North Hampton." Exterior having black finish (most likely original); front and rear English and American license plates; English reading: "GNH 240," Californian reading: "EMAJIN," chrome fenders, luggage rack and hardware throughout. Also present is the London registration form having Lennon's signature as registered owner, stamped August 3 and 26, 1971.

This modified Limousine Hearse can prominently be seen in "Imagine." The surreal, half-fiction footage featured a day in the life of Lennon and Ono at Tittenhurst getting driven around, arriving at a nice spot and canoodling..During the opening scene of the film, the hearse can be seen in an arial view as John and Yoko drive to their Tittenhurst Park residence in England. Shortly after the filming was completed, they would move to New York.

John Lennon's famous personal advance acetate of his then-upcoming hit LP, "Imagine" - a priceless historic relic which has come to symoblize a significant piece of John Lennon / Beatles History.Inscribed in Lennon's hand on the Apple sleeve, "From two friends of Paul Krasner with love." Additionally in Lennon's hand is his track by track rundown of the LP with notations and humorous references which give us further insight into the intriguing mind and personality of John Lennon. Filling the entire sleeve (one side) with the breakdown of musicians and musical assignments for each song. Additionally John has changed the title of track 3, side 2 to read, "George on lead guitar (Enough Said!!)."

This is an interesting commentary on the relationship between John & Paul. He has written his name, "John", 7 times on the sleeve.The record's labels with typed print are also most likely prepared by John himself, and boast several visible "typos": "Crippled Inside" was originally typed to read, "Crippled Guy" and the corrected error is still visible, "I Don't W-n-a-t To Be A Soldier", etc.

Wednesday

These photographs were taken a few years ago when a UK based Mechanical and Engineering company called Yates Associates built a small Palm House (below) within the grounds at Tittenhurst Park, similar to the one at Kew Botanical Gardens.

One of Guest Houses at Tittenhurst Park, possibly the same as seen in the colour phorograph above?

It was decided that, as a surprise gift for the Sheikh (current owner of Tittenhurst Park) that in 2002, a summerhouse should be built in the grounds of Tittenhurst Park. The summerhouse was originally built as a majlis, or meeting house. The summer house was no ordinary garden building. The fitting out works alone were to cost in the order of £2 million.

This is an a rather 'trippy' washed out image of the Summer House at Tittehhurst Park